


The Shattering

by Seven_Sisters



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-09
Updated: 2017-11-09
Packaged: 2019-01-31 06:22:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12676158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seven_Sisters/pseuds/Seven_Sisters
Summary: I wrote this in order to answer a question posed on the Steven Universe reddit sub: https://redd.it/7bsxu8How was Pink Diamond shattered? How do we reconcile the conflicting clues? Here's one approach to the question.





	The Shattering

"Pearl? Dear? What do you make of this?"

The tiny pink gem looked up at her diamond and took the note being handed to her. She was dressed in an all pink jumpsuit, open at the abdomen to expose her gemstone and her long hair cascaded down her back in a ponytail. She brushed a bang out of her eye as she read the note.

> _Pink. We must meet. This war is going badly, and we're going to lose at this rate. It is time we stood up to White's tyranny. Blue and I will meet you at the location we discussed earlier. **Come alone!** I can't stress that enough! **No one** must know of our meeting. That's imperative!_   
> 

The diminutive gem looked at her beloved diamond and shrugged. "I don't know, my diamond. This is highly unusual, even for Yellow Diamond. A clandestine meeting? It makes me nervous. We are at war, after all - are you really willing to travel alone without an escort? What if you're attacked?"

Pink Diamond nodded. "I know, Pearl. This is most unusual, and I agree it's dangerous. But Yellow is right - we're losing this war, and untold numbers of gems are being destroyed daily. Something has to be done. White refuses to budge, so perhaps its time the three of us took a united front in opposition. Perhaps she'll listen then."

"So you're going?"

"Yes, Pearl."

"Alone?"

Pink Diamond chuckled. "No, dear. You'll be with me, of course. I would never leave you behind. You're too precious to me."

Pink Pearl smiled and clasped her hands together. "Ooo! Thank you, my diamond! I'll make the necessary preparations." Pink Diamond smiled as her devoted servant scampered out of the chamber to prepare the palanquin.

* * *

The palanquin had been traveling for several days, and it finally approached its destination. The sun shone brightly, and birds were chirping, claiming territory and calling for a mate. Distant clouds floated across the sky, pushed along by a quiet breeze. It was, all in all, a beautiful day.

The palanquin came to a stop, dust billowing out from beneath it as it settled onto the ground. Pink Diamond waited patiently for her sister to call out. It didn't take long.

"Pink! You're here. Good. Come out where we can talk."

Pink Diamond took a breath. She loved her sister, but Yellow tended to be abrasive. No sense of style, that one. Now Blue - there was a diamond with grace and poise. Still, there was nothing for it. Yellow was as White made her.

She stepped out of her palanquin and looked about. "Yellow?" she called, confused that her sister wasn't present. A shape appeared out the shadows then suddenly charged. A pink colored sword cut through the air and into her projected form.

Normally this would have had little or no effect on her. She's a diamond, after all. But this was no common sword, and this was no common gem. She'd frozen in place at the shock of seeing the feared Rose Quartz charging at her. _No! This isn't possible!_ she thought as she watched the arc of the sword as it cut the air. It was surreal, and she involuntarily hesitated.

The brief hesitation was all Rose Quartz needed. The sword cut through the air and connected with the holographic form Pink Diamond projected. She felt it cut into the light and connect with the gem in the middle of Pink Diamond's body. The gem shuddered then shattered, her body erupting in a bright light that forced her assailant to step back from its intensity. Her gem, what was left of it, lay on the ground in pieces.

Rose Quartz looked at her handy work as tears formed. This was not what she had wanted, but Yellow Diamond had convinced her that it was the only way to end the carnage of the war. Too many gems were being slaughtered; it had to stop.

> _"Rose, get a grip. I'm not here to shatter you. You know as well as I do that if you're martyred this rebellion will only get worse. We must work together to end this war, and there is only one way for that to happen - a diamond must be shattered, and you must be seen doing it. There is no other way."_   
> 

The plan was simple: Pink Diamond would arrive unaccompanied in her palanquin, Yellow Diamond would call her out, and Rose Quartz would shatter her. It went off without a hitch.

Almost. A small, pink pearl had looked out fearfully from inside the palanquin. "My Diamond!" she'd called out as she watched her liege be cut down before her. She ran out and cradled the shards to her body, lost in her grief as sobs racked her body.

Rose Quartz held her sword then turned away. She'd destroyed one innocent today; she would not destroy another. She walked over to where Yellow Diamond's palanquin was hidden in the wood.

"It's done. And you have your witness," she said, gesturing back to Pink Pearl.

"No," Yellow Diamond answered. "She won't do. She knows too much. I'll deal with her in due course. We have a ruby out on a lone reconnaissance mission which saw the whole thing go down. She'll be our eyewitness. She's perfect.

"So. Now that I've done your dirty work for you, _Yellow_ ," Rose Quartz spoke, spitting out the other's name. "Are you going to keep your word? Will you leave this planet in peace?"

Yellow Diamond looked at Rose Quartz with a pitiless glare. "Oh, yes. We're done here. We've finished our final plans, and everything is in place. We're ready to leave now. Your handling of my 'dirty work,' as you so delicately put it, makes that possible now. We'll be leaving soon. Gather your forces and watch the skies and you'll see our departure with your own eyes. It'll be a sight to behold, I assure you. Now leave. I must attend to the pearl."


End file.
